MAP: LGBT Policy Tally Snapshot

If the United States Supreme Court grants same-sex couples the freedom to marry, the majority of those couples will still face significant legal discrimination. According to a new report released today by the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), 61 percent of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population in the U.S. will continue to live in states with medium or low legal protections—or that have outright hostile laws. Mapping LGBT Equality in America tallies 34 existing laws and policies pertaining to the LGBT population and uses those tallies to place states into four categories: High Equality States: 12 states & D.C., 39% of the U.S. LGBT population, Medium Equality States: 10 states, 9% of the U.S. LGBT population, Low Equality States: 13 states, 23% of the U.S. LGBT population, Negative Equality States: 15 states, 29% of the U.S. LGBT population.52% of LGBT people would be at risk of being fired from their jobs, kicked out of their homes, or denied access to doctor’s offices and restaurants. 86% percent of LGBT people would live in states where their child is not protected from discrimination in school for having LGBT parents. 81% of LGBT people would live in states where harmful “conversion therapy” is still permitted. The number of LGBT people living in states with high and medium overall equality would remain unchanged. Rather, 12 states would shift from negative equality states to become low equality states.